Volkswagen Reportedly Building Sporty Plug-In Golf GTE

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A sporty plug-in hybrid variant of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, called the Golf GTE, will be put into production later this year, according to a report from Autocar.

VW insiders say the Golf GTE will share the same powertrain as the Audi A3 e-Tron, which is set to go on sale in Europe later this year. That means a 148 horsepower 1.4 liter TFSI engine paired with a 107 horsepower electric motor, which is located within the transmission. Like the GTI, drive will be sent to the front wheels through a 6-speed dual clutch transmission. Autocar claims a 0-60 time of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 136 mph.

The electric motor will be powered by an 8.8 kWh lithium ion battery situated under the rear seats where the fuel tank would normally be, sacrificing no interior space in the process. The GTE’s electric powertrain allows it to travel for 31 miles on electric power alone at speeds of up to 81 mph.

It doesn’t appear as if the Golf GTE will end up on U.S. shores, while interested European customers can expect the Golf GTE to arrive in showrooms by late 2015. There is no word in pricing, though we expect it to fetch a premium over the current gas-only GTI.